MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today confirmed with a source close to the event that verbal agreements are in place for the Jan. 2 fight, though bout agreements have not been signed.

The bout, first reported by Tatame, takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and airs on pay-per-view with the rest of the night's main card.

Yvel, who was scheduled to compete for Affliction Entertainment until the organization ceased operations as part of an agreement with the UFC in late summer, replaces Gonzaga, who was forced off the card due to staph infection.

Yvel, a 50-fight veteran who previously competed for PRIDE, is 8-1 over his past nine bouts; all of the wins came via stoppage, seven via knockout. The lone loss came to Josh Barnett at "Affliction: Day of Reckoning" in January. Yvel took a beating in the fight but lasted late into the third round.